iOS 5 and iCloud rumors – What to expect?

BY THE APPLE GIRL

Apple has started preparing Moscone West Conference Center, SF for its WWDC conference, when Jobs is expected to launch the new iOS 5 and iCloud on June 6. Apple will set the new mobile software bar for Android? :D

Here are the rumors flying around:

iCloud: This will be Apple’s cloud storage feature for accessing all your iTunes content and more. It is more of a revamped MobileMe, Apple’s already existing cloud storage service. Apple has reportedly locked up agreements with the four major music companies – Universal, Sony, EMI and Warner on streaming music via iCloud. A special treat would be if Apple lets streaming of movies and TV shows too.

Free iCloud:Rumor has it that Apple will offer a free trial for those who buy music on iTunes and later charge about $25/yr for the service. I hope this is true. It would make sense for Apple to give away iCloud with limited storage for free at least for a while in order to woo its customers.

Twitter and Facebook Integration: With Facebook and Twitter users going crazy over mobile photo uploads, deeper Facebook and Twitter integration should be great news for them.

Better notifications: GoogleChic will be thrilled about this :) I haven’t really felt the need for a notification system like the one on Android, but let’s see what Apple has in store! Apparently Apple hired the notification add on (available on jail broken phones: check out the video below) developer, Peter Hajas.Rumor has it that widgets are also coming to iOS 5, but I doubt that.

Automatic app update: This is not a big deal. It leaked out this morning from the Apple website. Currently, iOS users have to manually go and update the apps. Apple will add a automatic over the air app update feature on the new iOS 5.0.

Voice Recognition: One of the good rumors is that speech recognition will be updated with iOS 5.0. This feature has never been big on the iPhone. Apple’s licensing talks with Nuance hopefully has something to do with deeply integrating voice recognition into iOS. Apple’s acquisition of Siri in 2010, is also a harbinger of Apple working on advanced voice technology.

Apple isn’t setting the new bar for mobile software. In fact, I’m appalled at that fact that Apple is a copy cat. What happen to Apple being innovative? Apple added the wallpaper concept with the last iOS update, so now with iOS 5 they decide to finally add widgets and notifications? They mind as well throw in the desktop concept and iOS and Android will just be the same!

I’m sure all the fanboys are ecstatic about the new features with iOS 5, but it’s old news for us Android folks.

1. Music Beta: Google has released music beta by invitation only. Music beta allows for you to upload all your music to the cloud and listen to it with any device; laptop, tablet or phone. Whenever a new play list is created it automatically syncs it to your devices. Also, there’s even an offline mode to allow for you to listen to recent music that’s been played on your device in the absence of internet.

2. Free Music Beta: Right now, this service is offered free of charge.

3. Twitter and Facebook Integration: Wow, we’re now in 2011 and after all the iOS releases Apple is just now introducing this? Us Android folks have been taking pictures, hitting the menu button and sharing to our hearts content!

4. Notifications: AppleGirl, I’m not thrilled about this, Apple pretty much ripped of Android’s notification system! We’ve had this feature since day one :) I can’t wait to see the final product, if it’s like the jail broken version it isn’t as nicely integrated as the Android notification drawer.

5. Hardware & OS issues: This is an issue for Android users as well so I leave this one alone :)

6. Automatic app update: Again, nothing new over here, automatic Market updates has been available since the last Market app update.

7. Voice Recognition: Hmm, has speech recognition never been big on the iPhone because it doesn’t work well ;)? I’ve been using the speech to text feature for quite some time now and I have to say it’s awesome! Again nothing new over on this side!

If those are all the new features of iOS 5, it sure looks like Android is setting the bar! All you fanboys, just jump on the Android bandwagon already. You’ll be much happier on this side of the fence :)